Found an old Canon AE-1 Program, how to use it?

addie · Oct 12, 2009

So, I found my mom's old Canon AE-1 program. She said she bought it in 1983. I'm pretty excited :heart:
BUT
I was wondering what kind of battery I need and if they still sell them? Where do I get them?

And, what kind of film do I need?
If anyone knows how to put the new film and battery in it would really help too, I read the online camera manual and it was hard to understand.

dxqcanada · Oct 12, 2009

User Guide

35mm film (color or B+W, negative or positive)

Unscrew the front plate grip.
Press the button to open the battery door.
Put battery in on angle ... bottom first to push the contact down ... then pop the top in.

Dwig · Oct 12, 2009

You can download the instruction manual from here:

Canon AE-1 instruction manual, user manual, PDF manual, free manuals

mtfd635 · Oct 12, 2009

Enjoy it!!
I have four of them!
Were my daily shooter and survived years of abuse on fireground - fire dep't photography - flame, heat, hose stream bangs n other serious abuse!
Wasn't my first, but was certainly best I ever used.

Read manual carefully, all u need is in there

jbylake · Oct 12, 2009

addie said:
So, I found my mom's old Canon AE-1 program. She said she bought it in 1983. I'm pretty excited :heart:
BUT
I was wondering what kind of battery I need and if they still sell them? Where do I get them?

And, what kind of film do I need?
If anyone knows how to put the new film and battery in it would really help too, I read the online camera manual and it was hard to understand.

The batteries are PX28L, 6V..you can still get them at radioshack, I got some from Wal-Green's, don't know if you have those in Canada, you can get them at any good camera shop, and you can find lot's of them on EBAY...

Have fun, I have 2 or 3 AE-1 Bodies and 2 A1's, they are still in great to fantastic condition, and I use them a lot.

J.:mrgreen:

addie · Oct 13, 2009

Thanks everyone for answering, I found everything I needed

lvcrtrs · Oct 13, 2009

Here's a good link for trivia as well as needed info.
Photoethnography.com - Classic Cameras

dgarza715 · Jan 13, 2010

I found my parents old AE-1 Program in a box about two weeks ago also unfortunatly the lens was in really bad shape...i'm guessing it had been droped a few times cuz the ring was bent and wouldn't mount so I bought a 50mm 1.8 for $20. Can't wait to see how the pics turn out.

lawnchair_alchemist · Jan 14, 2010

Congrats! The AE-1s are great cameras. It's what I started with (Found coincidentally in my aunt's basement). The great thing about the old FD mount is that lenses are great and really cheap since they're "obsolete". Whatever that means...they still capture great images.